NFL

New Orleans comes back in style

Linebacker Scott Fujita and the Saints’ defense kept the Falcons’ vaunted running game under wraps all night, holding Atlanta to 117 rushing yards.

Matt Stamey/Staff Photographer

Chris Singleton Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 10:20 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 11:43 a.m.

NEW ORLEANS -- Before the kickoff to the New Orleans Saints’ Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons, rock groups U2 and Green Day blasted a song through the speakers of the newly refurbished Louisiana Superdome that simply stated "The Saints Are Coming."

If the Atlanta Falcons didn’t get the message then, they had by the end of the opening quarter.

The Saints jumped out to a 14-3 lead after the first quarter and never looked back as they claimed an emotional 23-3 victory over the Falcons. With the win, the Saints are off to their first 3-0 start to the season since 2002.

The victory capped one of the most emotional days in the history of New Orleans. Saints’ fans flocked to the Superdome for the Saints’ first regular-season home game since December, 2004. They spent the day dressed in black and gold parading around their football "Mecca" called the Louisiana Superdome.

Downtown offices and City Hall shut down early in anticipation of crowds at the Superdome. Area teachers assigned little homework so students could watch the game on television. Before the game, Saints owner Tom Benson and various city administrators called to make it a "Black-and-Gold Mardi Gras"

And Saints’ fans responded by turning out in record fashion.

The attendance for the game was 70,003, which shuns critics that say New Orleans doesn’t have a fan base for the team.

It didn’t take the Saints long to give their fans a special homecoming treat.

After forcing the Falcons to a three-and-out on their first possession, Saints special-teams standout Steve Gleason barged though the middle of the Falcons’ line untouched and blocked Michael Koenen’s punt, which Curtis Deloatch recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

The score not only gave the Saints a 7-0 lead 90 seconds into the game, but whipped the crowd into an uproar.

“It was awesome. It was electric,” Saints starting quarterback Drew Brees said. “Especially when the special teams set the tone with that blocked punt – they set the tone and the place just erupted. That’s when we knew this was our day, this was our night.”

Gleason, who is recognized by his long, blonde hair by Saints fans, said the blocked punt was a special moment for him.

“I’ve been here for seven years, I’ve been through it with these people,” Gleason said. “For me to do something like that, for me to do that for them, it’s unbelievable.”

From the start, the Saints’ fans made themselves loud and clear. The crowd roared to deafening decibels when the Falcons’ offense was on the field. They celebrated and danced when the Saints scored a touchdown, and when it became apparent that their beloved team would beat Atlanta, they began to loudly chant, “Who Dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? Who Dat? Who Dat?”

The Saints presented the game ball to the city of New Orleans.

Dallas Mavericks coach and New Orleans native Avery Johnson, who had his own locker in the Saints’ locker room, accepted it on the city’s behalf.

“This night belongs to the city, the state of Louisiana, and everyone on the Gulf Coast,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done but this night belongs to the people of New Orleans. They deserve something.”

The Falcons were impressed with the atmosphere of the game, too.

“It was definitely the loudest crowd I ever played in front of,” Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick said. “They were fired up…both the fans and the Saints. You could just tell tonight the appreciation the fans have for their team and the effort they gave.”

The Saints hope this victory builds momentum for next week’s road game against the Carolina Panthers (1-2). They will try to improve to 4-0 for the first time since the 1993 season.

“You’re only as good as your next performance,” Brees said. “I see our team growing; I see us coming together and I see a lot of good things. But the fact is, yeah we’re 3-0, but we still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do.”

But for now, the Saints are happy with the win over Atlanta and will now celebrate their successful homecoming with their fans, which is something they haven’t enjoyed in a while.

“If we had lost, the fans still would have been partying, they still would have been happy, because the organization is still in New Orleans,” Saints receiver Joe Horn said. “But we wanted to put the icing on the cake.”

<p>NEW ORLEANS -- Before the kickoff to the New Orleans Saints’ Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons, rock groups U2 and Green Day blasted a song through the speakers of the newly refurbished Louisiana Superdome that simply stated "The Saints Are Coming."</p><p>If the Atlanta Falcons didn’t get the message then, they had by the end of the opening quarter.</p><p>The Saints jumped out to a 14-3 lead after the first quarter and never looked back as they claimed an emotional 23-3 victory over the Falcons. With the win, the Saints are off to their first 3-0 start to the season since 2002.</p><p>The victory capped one of the most emotional days in the history of New Orleans. Saints’ fans flocked to the Superdome for the Saints’ first regular-season home game since December, 2004. They spent the day dressed in black and gold parading around their football "Mecca" called the Louisiana Superdome.</p><p>Downtown offices and City Hall shut down early in anticipation of crowds at the Superdome. Area teachers assigned little homework so students could watch the game on television. Before the game, Saints owner Tom Benson and various city administrators called to make it a "Black-and-Gold Mardi Gras"</p><p>And Saints’ fans responded by turning out in record fashion.</p><p>The attendance for the game was 70,003, which shuns critics that say New Orleans doesn’t have a fan base for the team.</p><p>It didn’t take the Saints long to give their fans a special homecoming treat.</p><p>After forcing the Falcons to a three-and-out on their first possession, Saints special-teams standout Steve Gleason barged though the middle of the Falcons’ line untouched and blocked Michael Koenen’s punt, which Curtis Deloatch recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.</p><p>The score not only gave the Saints a 7-0 lead 90 seconds into the game, but whipped the crowd into an uproar.</p><p>It was awesome. It was electric, Saints starting quarterback Drew Brees said. Especially when the special teams set the tone with that blocked punt – they set the tone and the place just erupted. That’s when we knew this was our day, this was our night.</p><p>Gleason, who is recognized by his long, blonde hair by Saints fans, said the blocked punt was a special moment for him.</p><p>I’ve been here for seven years, I’ve been through it with these people, Gleason said. For me to do something like that, for me to do that for them, it’s unbelievable.</p><p>From the start, the Saints’ fans made themselves loud and clear. The crowd roared to deafening decibels when the Falcons’ offense was on the field. They celebrated and danced when the Saints scored a touchdown, and when it became apparent that their beloved team would beat Atlanta, they began to loudly chant, Who Dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? Who Dat? Who Dat?</p><p>The Saints presented the game ball to the city of New Orleans.</p><p>Dallas Mavericks coach and New Orleans native Avery Johnson, who had his own locker in the Saints’ locker room, accepted it on the city’s behalf.</p><p>This night belongs to the city, the state of Louisiana, and everyone on the Gulf Coast, Saints coach Sean Payton said. There’s still a lot of work to be done but this night belongs to the people of New Orleans. They deserve something.</p><p>The Falcons were impressed with the atmosphere of the game, too.</p><p>It was definitely the loudest crowd I ever played in front of, Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick said. They were fired up both the fans and the Saints. You could just tell tonight the appreciation the fans have for their team and the effort they gave.</p><p>The Saints hope this victory builds momentum for next week’s road game against the Carolina Panthers (1-2). They will try to improve to 4-0 for the first time since the 1993 season.</p><p>You’re only as good as your next performance, Brees said. I see our team growing; I see us coming together and I see a lot of good things. But the fact is, yeah we’re 3-0, but we still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do.</p><p>But for now, the Saints are happy with the win over Atlanta and will now celebrate their successful homecoming with their fans, which is something they haven’t enjoyed in a while.</p><p>If we had lost, the fans still would have been partying, they still would have been happy, because the organization is still in New Orleans, Saints receiver Joe Horn said. But we wanted to put the icing on the cake.</p>